Big League - Part 1

Before I get to the story, yes I am still alive and breathing. My wife has dug a large hole in the back yard, but assures me that it's for a tree. Riiiight. I'm sleeping with one eye open for a while. She did get a kick out of all your comments supporting her. (as did I)


With spring just around the corner the following story came to mind. It's mostly fiction with a sprinkling of facts just for fun. Hope you enjoy it.

Part 1

“What are you doing buddy?”

“Is it time to get up dad?” the small voice said.

As his father reached for the alarm clock he said, “I don’t know, what time is it?”

The man’s eyes opened just enough to distinguish what the red glow on the alarm clock showed… 5:30am. “No, not yet Eric, go back to bed son.”

“OK the boy replied, “How much longer dad?”

“One more hour buddy, now get some more sleep.”

He knew there was no possible way his eight-year-old son was going back to sleep, but with a little luck he’d be able to get a few winks himself.

About a half an hour latter he felt the presence of two eyes starring at him from his bedside. Glancing up, he saw Eric standing next to him again. He couldn’t help but smile when he looked at the excited boy in front of him in his PJ’s and baseball glove in hand.

“Having a hard time sleeping?” whispered the father.

“Yeah,”

“Alright, what do you say we go down stairs and get some breakfast?”

“Yes!” the boy exclaimed.

His father replied, “Shsssh, let’s not wake up mom.”

“Too late.” They heard come from the other side of the bed.

Before another word could be spoken their seventy-five pound ball of energy sprang up onto the bed between them talking a mile a minute.

“How much longer until we leave dad? Mom did you wash my shirt? How long does it take to get there? … He kept up this barrage of questions barely taking time for a breath in between, let alone waiting for an answer.

“Slow down honey, one thing at a time.” His mom said, “Let’s get some breakfast in you, then we can sort out all the other details.”

“OK mom,” Eric said, “Come on dad!”

Their boy was half way down the stairs before either of his parent’s feet had hit the floor.

“Do you think he’s excited?” jested the mother.

The father replied, “Just a tad.”

With that they both broke into laughter.

By the time they made it to the kitchen, their son had already put the cereal and milk on the table and was climbing onto the counter in an effort to reach the bowls in the cabinet above.

“I got one for everyone,” announced Eric.

As he walked to the dining table the boy’s rapid fire of questions continued, “Do you think they’ll hit a ball towards us? Cause if they do I’ve got my mitt and I’ll catch it. Where are we sitting again dad? Do we get to have a hot dog there? …

His dad answered each of his questions for what seemed like the four hundredth time, knowing full well that within the hour he would be answering them all over again. Normally this repeating himself would have gotten a little old, but today was different. Today was his son’s first big league baseball game. He remembered back some thirty years prior when his mom and dad had taken him to his first game.

He could recall the amazement of walking into Candlestick Park and seeing the perfectly cut grass of the outfield and the grounds crew spraying down the dirt around the bases. He remembered all the fans waving the pennants decorated in orange and black. He also recalled sitting just above the third base dugout where the visiting San Diego Padres were and although the baseball that some of the players autographed was long since gone, he could still picture it resting in his favorite glove.

“Honey…Hello…Earth to Roger.” Coming out of his day dream he finally heard from his wife, “Would you like some milk with your cereal?”

With a sheepish grin he replied, “Thank you dear.”

After wolfing down two bowls of cereal, Eric rushed back up the stairs to get his clothes on.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if he had this much enthusiasm on school days?” Roger said.

His wife Gail replied, “Now I know you’re in a dream land! Still, it would be refreshing.”

Like a herd of elephants, Eric came rumbling back down the stairs shouting, “I’m reeeeaaaadyyyy!”

******

to be continued